Sony Xperia U pictured next to Xperia S, looks like its smaller counterpart

Back at CES Sony introduced us to the new look for their 2012 product lineup with the Xperia S and Xperia Ion. The sharp edged styling continue with the 3.5-inch Xperia U, which has been spotted next to its larger counterpart in a series of leaked images. The Xperia U is stamped from the same mold as the Xperia S, right down to its transparent Android soft key/antenna bar positioned below the screen.

Unlike the Xperia S, it is revealed that the smaller handset will sport a removable battery rated at 1290mAh. Other specs include a 1GHz dual-core CPU, 5MP rear camera, and front-facing camera. The Sony Xperia U, otherwise known by its model number ST25i or codename Kumquat, is expected to be on show next week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.